According to a report published on the eve of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Games, London 2012’s sustainable fish policy has already inspired a fabulous fish legacy for years to come, as long-term sustainable fish policies have been adopted by caterers that together serve well over 100 million meals a year.
Sustainable fish and chips will also be a top feature of the London 2012 Olympic menu, thanks to London 2012’s commitment to be “the greenest Games yet” and the Sustainable Fish City campaign. Read more about this report on the Sustainable Fish City website.
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Because of their iconic nature, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are an opportunity to create changes in culture and policy – and the London bid was successful precisely because it was both visionary and ambitious.
The Feeding the Olympics report (2007, by Sustain, the Soil Association and the New Economics Foundation), marked the first step in a five-year campaign to ensure that the food associated with the London 2012 Games matches the values enshrined within the Olympic Charter, and the promises made in the London 2012 bid that it would be the “most sustainable games ever”.
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Note: Sustain's main activities on food for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are now being undertaken as part of the Food Legacy and Sustainable Fish City programmes - follow the links to find out more.
These separate pages contain information from the period 2009 to 2011, and the process that lead up to the publication of the London 2012 Food Vision standard.
Between July and September 2012, the UK will be the focus of world attention. Approximately 4 billion people around the globe will watch the London 2012 Games. More than 10,000 athletes are participating, 8.6 million tickets will be available for the Olympic Games, with another 1.5 million for the Paralympic Games. And 300,000 tourists are expected to travel to the Games from outside the UK.
By 2012, 1.3 million meals will have been served to construction workers, with a further 13 million meals expected to be consumed by Olympic and Paralympic visitors (the public, athletes, staff, volunteers, dignitaries and journalists).
Sustain is very keen to ensure that Olympic food promotes health and sustainability, wins new business for sustainable producers, and creates a fabulous food legacy. We want London 2012 to showcase the very best of healthy, ethical and sustainable food and to communicate this to a local and global audience.
Sustain sees the London 2012 Games as a tremendous opportunity to help transform the food system. We are already working on Olympic food issues, and have worked with the London 2012 organisers in their development of the London 2012 Food Vision. Our current priorites are as follows, to achieve:
- High health, ethical and sustainability standards for food served at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and in surrounding events and venues.
- Involvement of small- and medium-sized enterprises, particularly from London 2012 Host Boroughs, in London 2012 catering contracts and in surrounding events and venues.
- Positive messages about healthy food in London 2012 marketing, especially where targeted at children and young people.
- A fabulous food legacy, including well-trained catering staff, plenty of food growing spaces and better understanding of health, ethical and sustainability issues associated with food - locally and globally.
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